When the Clock Strikes Thirteen
by B.U.D.D.H.A. Headquarters
Summary: Dark forces are rising in the void between worlds.  The last scion of the Maitreya clan is called to restore order to a world lost in turmoil. From Commentaholic, Lord Lithos Maitreya and SimplySupreme comes a new adventure. SaphiraxOC.
1. Prologue: What Schemes May Come

**When the Clock Strikes Thirteen**

Story by Lord Lithos Maitreya, Commentaholic and Simply Supreme.

**Author's Notes:**

**Lithos: Hi, everybody! This is an attempt at a self-insertion co-written fic, by myself (Lord Lithos Maitreya), and my two comrades, SimplySupreme and Commentaholic - Alpha 05. A little information on the inception of the fic is as follows.**

**Commentaholic: *Grabs popcorn***

**SimplySupreme: *takes popcorn away from Commentaholic and eats it***

**Commentaholic: *Turns into Glaurung* ROAR! *takes popcorn back***

**SimplySupreme: Aw... *pouts***

**Lithos: I came up with the idea for BUDDHA itself a few days ago, just while randomly thinking, trying to get inspiration. At first I was going to write it solo, but then the idea came about two minutes later to ask my fellows of the Brotherhood of the Pen if they wanted to co-write it. They liked the idea, and thus, this began. I wrote almost all of the prologue, barring one paragraph that I couldn't get to flow. (Then again, none of us could, but at least it's better now.) As things stand as I write this, we still don't actually have everything nailed down, so I apologize in advance if our updates are a bit slow. Then again, we may be all right, considering we have the acclaimed Commentaholic to keep us other two in check.**

**BUDDHA stands for 'Brotherhood of Universally Diverse Dimension-Hopping Authors'. This story is set in the universe of Commentaholic's famous 'Alagaësia's New Dragon', so if you'd check that out first, it'd help with a little understanding. Not to mention that it's a delightful read. Now, do either of my fellows have anything to add?**

**Commentaholic: Acclaimed? *Blushes* I really like this idea... *looks around* Don't look at me like that! It's not just because it's yet another spinoff from my series! Though... I never get tired of using Glaurung. I use him everywhere I can... :P Part of the reason I got behind this was... well... I can't control myself when it comes to ideas... just look at my massive list of... *sigh* unfinished stories... Another reason: I loved the ackronym... And for the record... I didn't try to fix that non-flowing paragraph...**

**SimplySupreme: Ooh! My turn! *jumps up and down excitedly* So, you people may or may not know me from 'Land of a Mad King', but the concept here is pretty similar. I mean, Pie's a dimension-hopping author too! But _this_ fic is actually serious, and is just a giant idea soup of Lithos, myself and wonderful Commentaholic! (Erm... _acclaimed_ Commentaholic.) Lithos is kind of a genius for coming up with the Brotherhood of Universally Diverse Dimension-Hopping Authors. I mean, who doesn't love a good self-insert every once in a while? I promise that you'll like it! Stick around for a couple of chapters and your mind will be _blown_! XD**

**Commentaholic: *Turns into Glaurung again and goes to block the exit* You'd better read now...**

**For everyone's benefit, in case you wish to read our individual stories, you can connect to them via this profile's favorite authors list.**

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><p><strong>Prologue: <strong>_What Schemes May Come (Demons in the Mist) - Chapter by Lithos_

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><p><em>Imagine…<em>

A world that isn't; a perfect place of complete order. Lightning never strikes, because there is no sky. Winds never blow because there is no air. It never rains because there is no water. The ground never shakes because there is no earth.

And yet… it isn't empty.

_Imagine…_

A spirit, a thing of mist and vapor, now hangs in the space that doesn't exist. Its body is no more than a wisp of violet cloud, and it has no clear shape. There's one stark contrast, though – the eyes are bright, clear, and cold; glowing and red, with no pupils or whites to be seen. They seem almost crystalline, but no gems ever held such malice. The creature of mist seems to be waiting for something, its eyes showing that the patience – normally firm and unending as that of a rock – of the mind behind them is starting to wane.

_Imagine…_

There's another of the creatures now, wreathed in black fog. Its eyes are a blue as cold as the face of a frozen man, yet they seem somehow less potent than those of the other. It's clear to any of us watching who the leader is.

_Imagine…_

"My apologies, Lord," hisses the second creature. Its voice is serpentine; sibilant – slithering into our ears and coiling about our minds. "My lateness is, I think, in this instance, excusable. I have accomplished much."

"You had best hope your achievements please me greatly," the first replies. Its tone is high, cold, and cruel – it makes us think of the black of night. "For your lateness does not."

"They will," promises the blue-eyed being.

_Imagine…_

"I have prepared a trap," it continues. "In mere hours, one world- one containing an unauthorized Hopper- will face a Starstorm. The soul of the Hopper, as well as his world, will be split. The Starstorm will also draw attention to that world, and the Hoppers will send one of their own into it to investigate the matter, which we will then seal in so they cannot escape. And there is only one fully trained Hopper still in their headquarters."

"And who might that be?" asks the first mist-creature. "Speak, or I will crush the answer from you!"

The second's eyes narrow in victory. "Maitreya."

_Imagine…_

The ruby eyes widen in the violet mist, and then the creature's high voice begins to laugh – a harsh sound like crunching bone, quite unlike the calculated evil of its words. "Maitreya? You have prepared us a way to defeat the young Maitreya? Glory and shadow! This is indeed an achievement! Your lateness is quite forgiven! But continue! What next? He has come to this world, and then?"

"Then I shall block it off," chuckles the hissing voice of the other. "None can go to him to give aid, nor can he escape. He and his apprentice shall be trapped – trapped with nowhere to hide, and no place to run. And then…"

_Imagine…_

"Then we take them," the other finishes, its voice sadistic.

"Yes, my Lord," says the one with blue eyes.

"This is glorious! At last we will slay him, and then the others! At last we will have revenge! Do you hear me, BUDDHA?" Here the demon rotates, looking in all directions as though trying to find the visage of this BUDDHA, his enemy – as though he is mad enough to believe he is gloating of his victory before them already. "Do you know what is happening? Maitreya will die! And you will all follow! All that is will be ours! It is already finished!"

And as the other watched, he laughed.

_Imagine…_

The other rouses him from his madness, however. "My Lord, you summoned me for another purpose. What was it?

"Ah, yes," the insane Lord says, his chortles subsiding. "There is a battle in a world called Mirage that I have become interested in. It is merely between mortals, but the war-lust is upon me. Is my body ready?"

_Imagine…_

"It is, my Lord," its servant says in reply. "The armored demon-shape you demanded awaits you even now in the body-factory on Zakharad."

"Good," the red-eyed demon blinks in satisfaction. "I will go there and don it, and then I will finish this war in Mirage. And after that, I may well join you in this quest to destroy the young child of the Maitreya."

"Thank you, my Lord," says the other. "I will see to it that all is done to your satisfaction until you arrive. If you should deign to do so, that is."

"Good, good," chuckles the Lord. Then its voice goes rather grimmer. "One command regarding this mission, however. Do not assume anything."

"My Lord?"

_Imagine…_

"The Maitreya family…" the demon Lord whispers, as though he is reminiscing. "They were not truly the strongest, or the wisest, though they were well-endowed in those areas. They only truly surpassed all others in two fields."

"And what were those fields, Great One?" asks the servant.

_Imagine…_

"First," begins the violet demon. "They were always underestimated. Do not fall into that trap. Second… it is strange. Every Maitreya seems, somehow, to bear a mad level of luck – one bordering divine intervention. Indeed, I would not be surprised to find that that's what it was. Remember this. It is better to do far too much that too little."

"I will remember," promises the black one. "He will not escape me. The last Maitreya will die."

_Imagine…_

"Good!" says the red-eyed one, clearly satisfied. "Now I must go, and so must you. Good luck in your task, youngling, and do it well."

"As you say, my Master," says the servant. "And good luck in your own task. Not that I believe it is needed. No mortal could cross blades with you and hope to live."

_Imagine…_

"Your flattery is unnecessary and unwarranted," hisses the other, sounding rather bitter. "One mortal did."

"The ancient Maitreya is long dead," the servant says, its voice almost comforting, if such a kind word can be used to describe such evil. "And his latter, weaker descendant will soon follow."

_Imagine…_

"Yes…" the red eyes glitter malevolently. "Yes. I will go. Good bye, my servant."

"Farewell, my Lord." The two begin to fade…

_Imagine…_

"Wait!" cries the Lord suddenly. The two re-form, the mist settling back to its original shape. "One final query. What is that name of this world? Where will it be said that Maitreya died?"

The blue eyes shine as their owner whispers, "Alagaësia, my Lord."

"Very well," replied the other, and then the two vanished from the void that wasn't there.

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><p><strong>Ending Notes:<strong>

**This chapter has been brought to you by Lord Lithos Maitreya.**

**Quality Assurance: Commentaholic - Alpha 05**

**Commentaholic: This was a rather good chapter, and it impressed me right away. I began to wonder... will I be able to keep up with this sort of quality with my chapter?**

**Coming up next on When the Clock Strikes Thirteen...**

**Well... You didn't think we'd tell you, did you? You'll just have to read for yourself!**

***Commentaholic cackles* I'm so mean, aren't I?**

**Nah, I'll let you see... something...**

Glaurung's eyes shot open, roused from his slumber by a strange feeling creeping its way up his spine, settling in the small of his back, right between his wings. Inhaling deeply, the golden dragon tried to identify the scent that had arisen on the wind. It was the smell of ozone: the smell in the air before a thunderstorm, but... it was different somehow... charged with an unidentifiable energy... an ominous aura drifted in the atmosphere...

_Saphira, _Glaurung urged, _Saphira, get up. We have to get inside._

Saphira's eyes cracked open and she yawned, _Why?_

_A storm is coming. A bad one, by the smell of it, _Glaurung explained.

Saphira raised her angular head and inhaled deeply, as Glaurung had. Her eyes widened as well, _You're right._

Lightning struck the mountain above them, causing a shower of charred stone to drizzle over their scales as they hurried into the cave.

_...To be continued..._

**Review!**


	2. Chapter One: Brainstorm

**When the Clock Strikes Thirteen**

A story by Lord Lithos Maitreya, Commentaholic and SimplySupreme

**Authors Note:**

**Commentaholic: Well *Cracks knuckles* I did this one... well... most of it. I was really the only one that could, considering the main subjects are linked so heavily to my stories. What say you, compatriots? WAIT! I have to say something... This chapter... implies stuff about the future of A.N.D. I have to tell you readers that these events may or may not come to pass as I write them here.**

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><p><strong>Chapter One: <strong>_Brainstorm_

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><p>Glaurung and Saphira both breathed a sigh of contentment as they sunned themselves on the ledge overlooking a the ocean. The weather was pleasant and the sun was warm. It was a beautiful day in the mountains located on an uncharted island west of the port city of Kuasta.<p>

It had been a few weeks since the bloody battle of Tronjheim, during which Glaurung had proclaimed his love for Saphira shortly after using his own body to block one of the devastating spells destined to hit Saphira, cast by Durza the Shade, and in doing so, nearly dying. As he lay on the ground, a gaping wound in his side, he had uttered his adoration for the sapphire-scaled dragoness just before lapsing into unconsciousness.

After Glaurung fell, Saphira had lapsed into incredible rage the fury of which had not been seen for nigh on one hundred years. She became a whirlwind of razor-sharp claws, spiked tail and flashing fangs. None stood before her and lived, and there had been many who stood between her and Durza. Laughing at her efforts, Durza had raised his palm once more, to cast _slytha_, but gasped in agony as he was pierced through the heart from behind by a gleaming red blade. Eragon had used the distraction to sneak up on Durza. As the Shade dissipated into nothingness, letting loose an unholy shriek as he did so, the army of Kull watched the loosed spirits go. Then they turned on each other. With Saphira on the warpath, it didn't take long to rout the vicious brutes. The Varden let out a cheer as they stood, fewer in number than at the start of the battle, but victorious.

Glaurung's large, gold-scaled form had been immediately tended to by the Varden's healers at Saphira's rather violent urgings. It was a near thing, Glaurung being so close to Death's Door when they reached him, but he survived. During the long recovery, Saphira hardly left Glaurung's side. When Glaurung awoke, it wasn't long before Saphira told him of her love for her golden-scaled savior, just in case it wasn't already obvious to Glaurung.

As soon as the wounded male was able to leave the healers' chamber, the two dragons had taken to roaming the dwarven city, enjoying the magnificent stonework that they hadn't had the chance to appreciate before the battle. The grand arches and cobblestone avenues were battle-scarred and bloodstained, but the remnants of the fight for the survival of the Varden did little to diminish the grand city's beauty.

Eventually, Glaurung was deemed well enough to fly again, and Saphira took charge and, after notifying Eragon of her intentions, dragging Glaurung off on a well-deserved vacation. The Varden, had they had the chance, would have granted this anyway, knowing that after this setback, Galbatorix would be hard-pressed to recover and gather his forces for another attempt. They doubted that he would do so, though.

And so they now lay relaxing on the cliff, wasting the day away, merely enjoying each others' company. Saphira ran a claw over the scar that ran down Glaurung's chest, marring the shining scales, the only indication of the life-changing event that had brought them together... not just together, but _together_.

_Glaurung... _Saphira pondered, _I don't know what I'd have done if I'd lost you..._

A rumble in the distance disrupted her thoughts.

Glaurung's eyes shot open, roused from his slumber by a strange feeling creeping its way up his spine, settling in the small of his back, right between his wings. Inhaling deeply, the golden dragon tried to identify the scent that had arisen on the wind. It was the smell of ozone: the smell in the air before a thunderstorm, but... it was different somehow... charged with an unidentifiable energy... an ominous aura drifted in the atmosphere...

_Saphira, _Glaurung urged, _Saphira, get up. We have to get inside._

Saphira's eyes cracked open and she yawned, _Why?_

_A storm is coming. A bad one, by the smell of it, _Glaurung explained.

Saphira raised her angular head and inhaled deeply, as Glaurung had. Her eyes widened as well, _You're right._

The air crackled and a bolt of lightning struck the mountain above them, the discharge of energy marring the cliff face and sending a shower of charred stones down upon the retreating dragons as they darted towards the entrance of the cave.

The two dragons retreated into the cave behind them, into the rear of the cave to avoid the rain that would no doubt accompany the thunder and lightning, which Saphira severely disliked. Outside, the air rumbled and resounded with the storm's energy. Thunder and lightning of an unnatural magnitude disrupted the calm that had permeated the world around them mere minutes ago.

The dragons stood together at the rear of the cave, Saphira yelping at each flash of light. Glaurung did his best to calm her, but it was difficult to counteract centuries of genetic memory. Dragons had always feared the lightning, for many dragons had met their end in lightning storms, struck in mid-flight. Glaurung found it difficult to resist the urge to tremble, despite his human side's love for storms.

He would never understand the changes wrought in him since he'd tumbled into Alagaësia some months previously. Too much had happened.

He had once been a human teenager living on Earth, a huge fan of the Inheritance Cycle. One day, his iTouch had started piping some strange words, and soon he found himself spiralling into the world of Eragon... as a dragon. The abrupt physical change had thrown him off at first, but he had eventually grown to accept it.

With his knowledge of the books, he had been able to predict and prevent a few undesirable occurrences, protecting Eragon and Brom from the wrath of Paolini's muse. Brom, though, had perished en route to the Varden, sending Glaurung, Saphira, Jaredin and Eragon ahead to the massive Dwarf city of Tronjheim, the hidden Varden base. There had been nothing that Glaurung could do, it happened so suddenly that he hadn't had the chance to save Eragon's mentor.

Despite the setback of Brom's death, they had pushed on towards Tronjheim, Glaurung's relationship with Saphira growing on the way. They'd become rather attached early on, Saphira even saving Glaurung during a life-threatening situation involving an energy imbalance following the golden dragon's incursion into Eragon's mind following the Yazuac Incident. Since that day, they'd shared a sort of mental connection on par with a rider's connection with a dragon, yet not as strong as Saphira's connection with Eragon was. This connection had first reared its head during the battle of Tronjheim, when Glaurung somehow sensed Saphira's danger and had blocked that fateful spell that had sparked the final phase of their love.

Glaurung winced again, pulled out of his memories as another flash of lightning plunged past the cave's entrance. It was getting closer, that unnatural storm that had come upon them so suddenly.

Glaurung roared in surprise as a flash of light plunged _through _the cave ceiling, right past him. Electrical energy tingled in the air, making Glaurung feel on edge.

_What the heck...? _Glaurung wondered. Lightning didn't make a habit of striking _into _a mountain... At least... he hoped it didn't. Or else Saphira would be constantly paranoid.

A bolt struck Glaurung's tail, making him thrash in agony as the lightning coursed up his tail and made his heart skip a beat. _It's after me..._ He guessed.

As ridiculous as it sounded, that was an idea that randomly popped into his mind. It could have been a complete coincidence, but somehow... Glaurung just _knew_.

He had to protect Saphira. He let go of her, much to her chagrin. _Glaurung, don't go! _she said, her voice quivering. It broke Glaurung's heart to leave her in her moment of terror, but he had to protect her beyond his own life. He lunged across the cave, more strikes chasing behind him, smiting the stones and leaving them charred. A bolt of light hit the ground before Glaurung, causing him to come up short in surprise. He reversed his direction, fleeing from this shaft of light that didn't fade like the others. It remained and chased behind him. The rain-slicked ground slowed Glaurung, his claws scrabbling to get a grip for faster movement.

The light overtook him, starting with his tail. His scales burned as the light touched him, creeping up his length, immobilizing his legs as the pain grew to be too much. He collapsed to the ground, neck flailing in an attempt to avoid the harmful ray of illumination. It moved along his body, up his neck.

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><p><em>Glaurung, no! <em>Saphira cried out as the light reached his head and Glaurung went limp. Then everything was calm. The noise outside was gone. The lightning had ceased. The clouds outside retreated as though their mission was now complete. Saphira darted forward to Glaurung's side. _Glaurung! Glaurung, answer me! _

The golden dragon at her feet did not respond, increasing her panic. She lowered her head onto his chest, but where his heart normally beat in his chest, there was only silence. Saphira's own heart ached at the knowledge that she was losing him for a third time, the first being at Yazuac, where only a burst of dragon magic had saved him; the second: in the battle for Tronjheim. And now... this.

Saphira's head lowered onto the pale golden scales of Glaurung's chest, tears gathering in pools where the surface diveted between the individual scales.

_Thump thump_

Saphira's eyes widened. Could there be hope? She listened intently, but there was nothing. Saphira's sadness returned twofold, increased all the more by the hope that had risen her up from the dark depression before crashing her into the depths of oblivion.

The sapphire shut her eyes, blocking herself off from the outside world that had given her such joy... only to tear it away from her as if it were a cruel game. Behind her bony eyelids, she was safe.

_"I envy you." Arya said, resting a hand against Saphira's foreleg. The dragoness and the elf stood on a cliff outside of Tronjheim. A few hours earlier, the news had arrived that Glaurung would live. The golden dragon was resting, and Saphira had talked over her plans to escape to the coast with Arya, who would arrange a distraction and explain afterwards. "But such a thing is not meant to last." The elf shut her eyes, the pained look on her face saying worlds about what she had experienced with the loss of Fäolin a few months earlier, back when Saphira was still in her egg..._

The truth of the elf's words had not registered at the time, Saphira being too happy about Glaurung's recovery. But now they struck home, each word stabbing a nail of ice into her heart.

Saphira opened her eyes again. Of course Arya had been right. Being a dragon had made Saphira wise, but her species' wisdom had robbed her of the ability to see what knowledge age could bring; and Arya was far older than she.

Saphira stood for a little longer there, beside Glaurung's still body - crying whenever she had the energy. Then, at long last, she turned away and, with her claws, began to dig into the ground within a small glade that lay a short distance from the cave. It took hours - hours of pain and hurt - but at long last the hole was large enough to comfortably fit Glaurung's large body in.

Still weeping, the distraught dragoness nuzzled the golden shape, pressing her face to the scaled chest. Once again, she thought she heard a faint heartbeat, but it was not repeated, and she knew she must have imagined it. Slowly, ever so slowly she began to roll the body towards the hole she'd dug. When it was just at the edge she stopped, unable to finish. How could she?

Just as she collected herself and was about to push the body into the grave (the word alone made her shudder with fresh sobs) there was a flash of the brightest light imaginable right in front of her. She covered her eyes with her wing until it faded, and when it had, a male human and a violet dragoness of approximately her age and size stood before her. She was too sad to spare much thought on the fact that she was supposed to be the only female of her species left.

All she could do was growl and place herself between these newcomers and Glaurung's body. _Who are you? _she demanded. _How are you here? Why have you come here, and now, of all places and times?_

They completely ignored her words. The man was looking at the violet dragoness, his face set in a mixture of anger, amusement, and dissappointment. "Alacalia..." he said, his tone set with the promise of impending puishment. "Why are you a dragon?"

The dragoness, Alacalia, looked ashamed and rather confused. _Erm... Sorry, Master. This was a bit of an accident._

"An _accident_? Oh, good. I thought you'd done it deliberately," The man didn't really look angry, exactly, but rather like Brom had whenever he was lecturing Eragon - like a teacher chewing out a pupil. The man shook his head and turned to Saphira, seeming to notice her and Glaurung for the first time. "Great," he said dully. "Just fantastic. We had to Hop right in front of a dead dragon and his mate. I know this wasn't _my _luck."

Alacalia studied Glaurung for a moment, and then said, _Master, I don't think that's a dragon._

The man looked at her for a moment, and then turned back to Glaurung. His eyes widened. "Nayru, Farore, and Din!" he cried. "This is bad." He tried to walk around Saphira toward Glaurung, but she snapped at him and growled.

_No one touches him! s_he said in their minds, growling to get her point across.

The man stared at her for a moment. The other dragoness growled. After a time the man said, "These are not the droids you're looking for," waving his hand slightly as he said it, and Saphira noticed that that arm - his right arm - seemed to be made of a strange hybridization of steel and flesh. The violet dragoness beside him broke down in a fit of laughter as he continued, "Look, I don't intend to do anything to him. I just need to examine him."

Saphira didn't move from her position. She didn't intend to let these strangers touch her Glaurung, dead though he might be. _No. Go away._

The one called Alacalia seemed to be thinking. After a moment she turned to Saphira. _Look, _she said, and Saphira noticed that she seemed somewhat ill-at-ease about speaking with her mind, as though she were unused to it - rather like Glaurung had once been. _Something really odd just happened here - we sensed it from... where we come from. Don't ask. Master Lithos thinks it was centered around him, _here she nodded her scaled head at the golden shape, _And we need to find out if he's right. Please, let him look. We promise we won't do anything._

Saphira stared at her for a moment, battling with herself. _Swear it in the ancient language, s_he demanded.

Lithos nodded. "Skulblaka, eka celöbra ono un malabra ono un onr fricai né haina," he said calmly and clearly. "Cali, stay away. I only swore on my behalf."

Saphira studied him. He had not in fact sworn not to harm Glaurung, only stated that he meant neither of them harm, but all the same...

_Fine, _she said, letting him pass. He came towards Glaurung's still body and pressed his ear to the dragon's chest. He stayed that way for a time, and then nodded slowly, with wide eyes.

"Yes," he said. "You were right, Cali. It's him."

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><p><strong>Lithos: I wrote the first draft of that end bit. The rest was Comment's.<strong>

**Commentaholic: Yeah... I couldn't really write any more after a depressed Saphira sapped my joy... It's so hard to write sadness for such a dragoness... But I admit. I wanted to make it slightly comedic... Imagine...**

Saphira's eyes widened as the phantom heartbeat echoed in her ears. She listened again, but no more sound came. _Where is the thump thump? _she asked.

***snorts* Jack Sparrow anyone? You can thank Soup for halting my conversion into a funny moment. Any thoughts, Soup?**

**SimplySupreme: Ok, that _was_ a really funny moment I had to control there, but I'm fairly certain it wouldn't have fit the moment. XD  
>Poor Cali... accidentally programming herself into a dragon... *laughs* ¡Qué lástima! But hey, I'm sure Lithos won't hurt her <em>too<em> bad. :D I'll be thrilled to see you all for next chapter!**

_**(Oh, and if you review, I, SimplySupreme, will send you imaginary cookies of winning! They are completely delicious! I betcha if I gave one to Comment Right now he'd fall over because he just couldn't stand the powerful waves of awesome rolling off them! So review! It will make you fantastic)**_


	3. Chapter Two: Home in Time for Dinner

**When the Clock Strikes Thirteen**

By Commentaholic, Lord Lithos Maitreya and SimplySupreme

**A/N:**

**_Commentaholic_: This one is brought to you courtesy of SimplySupreme! And I believe it was supreme!**

**_SimplySupreme_: Yep, this one's mine. Hello everyone! *waves happily* I'll see you at the bottom of the page!**

**_Lithos_: Comment and I made some additions near the end, largely because we understood those bits better. I personally prefer Soup's part over my own.**

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><p><strong>Chapter Two: <strong>_Home in time for Dinner_

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><p>The light blasting onto the pages of Cali's book from overhead was functional, but far too bright in her opinion. But then again, everything about Headquarters was bright. The polished metallic floor, the clean white walls, the glass tabletops, the mirrored doors, the crisp, starchy texture of the cushions lining the sitting areas, the domed ceiling glittering with white, luminescent bulbs that were scattered here and there about its surface; everything in the common room was all quite futuristic and impressive. Even Cali's clothing was a bright, stainless white tank top with billowing cotton capri pants of the same color.<p>

Now, Cali didn't really like white, but white was important here in Headquarters. She had been told so the very first day that she had been taken from her home and apprenticed to BUDDHA Running a hand over the severe plait that her golden brown hair was pulled into, and leaning back into her crisp cushion, Cali closed her eyes and took a moment to remember her first questions for her new Master.

_"Lithos… Why is every bit of this room white?" _she had asked. _"Why does everyone here wear nothing but _white_?"_

_"Well, Alacalia…" _He had answered in a tone of voice that had indicated that Cali should listen and remember well what he was about to say. _"We are the Brotherhood of Universally Diverse Dimension-Hopping Authors. Our Headquarters needs easy access to every dimension there is. Hence, it is not a dimension by itself, but rather a resident of all of them. We wear white to symbolize that we are not citizens of any one dimension, but rather all of them. Does that make sense to you?"_

It hadn't really. Not at the time. But Cali had dutifully erased her blank stare and nodded.

Now, of course, she understood. Almost two years had passed since she had been singled out as an authoress with the Gift and taken in by BUDDHA as a new apprentice under her Master, Lithos Maitreya, shedding both her original name and her pen name, SimplySupreme, and choosing another. Almost two years she had spent learning about what constitutes reality, and how petty laws of dimensional space could be circumvented and twisted to her own advantage. It was enough to make her head hurt. When she had first come to join the Brotherhood, she had had no shortage of mentors and friends to help her along and keep her company—the common room, so desolate, bright, and empty as it was at the moment, had been loud and bustling—but now, only Lithos and herself remained. The halls beyond the common room that were lined with heavy doors to each Hopper's personal quarters no longer echoed with jovial shouts and footfalls, chants of meditation, nor the pained groans of studying apprentices.

There were many causes for this. Eventually, all Hoppers would retire to a life of peaceful one-dimensionality, but there had always been a fresh string of young apprentices eager to be initiated and to fill their shoes. But fewer and fewer young writers were being recruited to be Hoppers each year, and the remaining Hoppers were finding that they had to shoulder more and more responsibilities as their numbers dwindled. At the moment, all remaining Hoppers were on missions. Cali's Master had confessed that it was his greatest fear that BUDDHA would eventually cease to exist. If that happened, who would protect reality from those who sought to destroy it?

Cali knew the answer to this all too well. No one would.

Footsteps started her out of her reverie, and Cali jerked her head up just in time to see Maitreya walking smoothly across the room towards her, dark brown hair immaculately groomed, as always. "You're up early, Master." She commented brightly, forcing a smile onto her drawn features.

"Yes, but for a good reason." He murmured sleepily, snagging a glass from a set of cabinets in a corner and filling it with water from the spigot at its side, his biomechanical right arm whirring softly as he did so. He took a deep, long draught from the glass and eyed her oddly. "A Starstorm showed up on the monitors today."

Instantly, Cali sat up a little straighter and folded her book in her lap, tawny eyes wide as she gazed at the man across the room. "A Starstorm? Really?" she exclaimed excitedly, "Was a universe split?"

Wordlessly, Lithos nodded, and Cali let loose genuine grin. She was doing a report on Starstorms, and the readings off the monitors would be wonderful fodder to interpret in the essay.

"There was something else."

Slowly, Cali's grin faded, and she just stared at Maitreya, waiting for him to elaborate. She had learned early on that he divulged information when _he_ wanted to, and not when Cali begged for hours on end.

"I picked up an unauthorized Hopper."

Involuntarily, Cali gasped. An unauthorized Hopper hadn't been identified for years. A Jump into another dimension rarely went unnoticed, and those authors with the Gift of inter-dimensional travel were generally easily identified, like she herself had been. BUDDHA had known of her potential as a Hopper long before she did. So how had BUDDHA missed _this_ untrained Hopper until the Starstorm? "Are you going to find them?" she breathed excitedly, eyes brightening in her rosy face.

"Yes, _we_ are," Lithos sighed in slight exasperation, massaging his temples in response to his apprentice's antics. "Now, prepare yourself. We depart in an hour." Stretching out his arm, he offered her a slip of paper with information on their mission printed on its smooth surface.

Nodding happily, Cali sprang from her position curled up on the cushion, bare feet making little noise on the polished floor, and snatched the slip up. "As you will, Master Yoda."

Seemingly involuntarily, the corner of Maitreya's mouth twitched up in a slight grin, and his icy blue eyes sparked with merriment. "Excitable, you are." He croaked in a passable imitation of the squat green Jedi, whom they had met on a previous escapade. "Much to learn, you still have."

Cali raised an eyebrow at him, and flounced off in a false huff to the room dubbed "the Hollywood" by a few of the younger apprentices, closing the mirrored door carefully behind her, muffling his laughter. Now, the Hollywood room was unofficially named the Hollywood for a very good reason. It was where one went if one was preparing for a Jump to another dimension and wanted to be prepared for it, logging in the data that would serve to stabilize one's form in another universe. (Alterations could range from small makeovers to full species-changes, and did so often, depending on the mission.) But just from a glance inside the room, you wouldn't know it. Unlike the common room, the interior of the Hollywood was bare of furnishings, but _like_ the common room, it was almost entirely white, and very well lit. But the far wall, instead of smooth, unbroken surface, was a flickering luminescence of every color imaginable, lazily swirling here and there over the screen. (For that's what it was; a massive computer screen.)

Almost reverently, Cali walked right up to the computer and reached out with her hands straight into the center of the glowing screen, pink fingertips sinking through its surface a bit as if it was insubstantial. Instantly, it responded, depicting several three-dimensional displays of numerical data. She then began to type at the keyboard made of softly pulsating light that had materialized beneath her hands. Slowly at first, but with increasing speed as she entered data from the slip of paper Lithos had given her into the machine. It wouldn't do to make a mistake, and Cali knew that. Still, she couldn't help but rush a little in her excitement, and she was well practiced in such things. The information that she was logging here would be critical in their mission. After she and her Master made the Jump to their destination (coordinates 777-17-4, known to the indigenous population as Alagaësia, which Cali vividly recalled studying about in first-year-third-month of her apprenticeship) they would reform with the equipment that she specified here, among other nuances that she didn't have time to think about.

With a final flourish, Cali's weary fingers slowed their pace, and she withdrew her hands from the wall/computer with a little sigh of relief. She loathed the menial task of logging. But it was necessary.

Glancing at the wide silver band on her wrist, Cali took note of the analog clock set into it and realized that she only had a few minutes until the Jump. Cursing elaborately, the teen tore off back through the common room and down an adjoining hall, at the end of which stood Maitreya, tapping his foot, which was also bare, impatiently.

"Still… have… two minutes…" Cali gasped, panting and gesturing wildly at the analog on her wrist. Maitreya snorted in disbelief, but turned through an open door, disappearing from view. Still slightly breathless, the girl followed.

This room looked very much like the Hollywood. But instead of Cali, it was Maitreya who began tapping into the computer. While her Master made the final preparations, the apprentice settled herself cross-legged on the chilly floor of the room, directly over one of the large black circles marring its bright surface. When Lithos had finished, he too found a circle and seated himself there.

"Are you ready, Alacalia?" he asked softly, in that cold, but not unkind way that he had.

"Yes, Lithos." She responded, closing her tawny eyes.

A breath in…

A breath out…

Clearing her mind of everything except that little nugget of power buried deep in her head…

A bright flash, visible even beneath her eyelids, burst into being, and Cali felt a sensation as if fire suddenly shot through every vein in her small body, burning and charring her from the inside out with racing pain that seemed to stretch and pull into eternity. She wasn't Alacalia anymore. She was nothing, and everything. And then… the fires abruptly snuffed out, and the girl allowed her conscious to drift into a temporary oblivion, following the familiar pattern that she just couldn't seem to get used to.

Fire.

Pain.

Everything.

Nothing.

* * *

><p>With a flash, the world before Cali's nose came into acute focus. And the first thing that she noticed was that she didn't <em>have<em> a nose.

Or, perhaps she did. But it was more of a snout than anything. And it was, of all colors, _purple._

Cali sighed. Master Lithos was going to _kill_ her.

* * *

><p><em>Glaurung... existed. He had no idea where he was, how he'd gotten there, or why this was happening. And he was having difficulty remembering his name.<em>

_Was he Glaurung? Alagaësian dragon, gold-scaled, in love with Saphira?_

_...Or was he Brand? Human teen, indigenous to the planet Earth?_

_He couldn't seem to remember..._

_Suddenly, the gray void-that-wasn't-there was filled with a creature-that-wasn't there. It was just a wisp of purple cloud, with glowing red gems that the nameless watcher assumed were the nearest thing it had to eyes._

_Then the world seemed to exist again, and the watcher, along with the mist creature, were in a cave - no, a cavern - stretching wide underground. The mist-being seemed superimposed over a black-armored bipebal shape, as though it were within the body. And before it knelt a man; brown-haired, in black, loose clothing, a strange, semi-mechanical right arm, and blades in both hands. The man was breathing heavily, and had clearly just been forced to his knees by the creature in black armor. Behind him, suspended in the air by a strange, visible, blue magic, hovered three dragons and a couple smaller figures who looked like humans._

_Suddenly, the mist-being spoke. "_Maitreya..._" it hissed, its voice sadistic. "_Time to die..._"_

_The world shifted, and the watcher found himself facing the same man, now in long, white robes, looking up at him. The man spoke to him quietly. "What is your FanFiction PenName?"_

_The world changed again, and Glaurung saw the violet mist-being from before, and it was with another, similar being, this one black with ice-blue eyes._

_"_Wait!_" cries the red-eyed one, "_One final query. What is that name of this world? Where will it be said that Maitreya died?"

_The blue eyes shine as their owner whispers, "_Alagaësia, my Lord._"_

_Shifting colors revealed a new location. A silver-scaled humanoid knelt down in front of him, "Are you alright?" he asked. He could feel the bulk of Saphira lying next to him. Around them was the inner walls of a strange tower, moving parts high above them and a magical tingle in the air._

_Stone tower turned to scorched sky. A city lay in ruins before them. Before its gates stood shape, a silhouette against the red clouds._

_An obsidian arch stood before them, orange flames flicking within its barrier. "_Ladies first,"_ he said to Saphira. She grinned back at him before she retorted._

_Fiery gate turned to dark dungeon. Nothing could be seen other than by the faint illumination granted by an unseen fire lit behind him. Glaurung craned his neck to see a ritual bonfire, robed figures dancing before it._

_A massive red-skinned demon loomed over Glaurung, bringing a double-bladed axe swinging down towards his neck. "Die!" it cried out in a gravelly voice._

_The axe and the demon faded into smoke, green forest replacing it, resolving into a misty grove of trees. Glaurung lay on the ground, a wound spewing blood from his side. Where was Saphira? Glaurung thrashed around, trying to find the sapphire dragoness. Was she hurt? Motion blurred beside him as a dark shape landed beside him rapidly._

_A black cat with startlingly green eyes shifted before him, turning into a strange, hairy man. "Relax, this will only hurt for a moment. Saphira is waiting, so you'd better not die on me."_

_Then, quite suddenly, everything was gone. There was a roar of anger, and then..._

Glaurung's eyes snapped open. There was a man with brown hair and blue eyes, wearing long, white robes, and possessing a right arm that seemed to be half-robotic. Glaurung's eyes widened, and his gut twisted strangely. This man was the one he'd seen in his dreams.

_Maitreya..._ he whispered. Then he started to blink rapidly. He felt very... odd...

"Calm down," advised the man. "You're suffering from what they call in Shandalar 'Summoning Sickness'. It'll wear off in a few minutes. Just lie still."

Glaurung did as he was bidden, but that didn't stop him from speaking. _What's going on? What happened?_

The man sighed. "You were hit by a bolt from a Starstorm. I'll go into the physics some other time. I just managed to -"

Here he was abruptly cut off by a mass of cobalt scales which thrust him aside and started nuzzling Glaurung all over. Saphira entered his mind and immediately started speaking, unable, in her flood of emotion, to speak solely to him; instead projecting her thoughts all around. _You're all right! Oh Glaurung... I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost you... Your heart wasn't beating! I thought the lightning had killed you! And then **him**..._ here she looked at the man, Maitreya, _He hit you! Quite hard! And his fist was glowing!_

"Of course I hit him, you overgrown lizard!" growled the man, who was only now getting to his feet after Saphira knocked him down. "He was in the Starsleep! The only cure is what I did! And now, _if you don't mind_, I need to talk to him."

Saphira glared at him, but Glaurung intervened. _Saphira, we can trust him. I had... strange dreams while I was... asleep, and he was prominently featured amid my visions. Don't worry, _he said, nuzzling her. He then projected his thoughts to the man. _Who are you, anyway?_

_I've had many names, _said the man mysteriously. _Call me Lithos._

_You appeared in my dreams_, Glaurung told him bluntly, unperturbed about the man's sudden change to mindspeak.

_I'm not surprised in the least_, the man replied_. I think I'll wind up having a fair bit of significance to you from here on out. Now, I need to ask you a couple questions. First, how long have you been in this world?_

Glaurung's blinked, and his shock radiated from him. How did this man know he wasn't native? More importantly... what else did he know? _Four or five months._

_I see, _the man said. _And what did you dream about?_

_Lots of stuff, _the golden dragon told him. _Mostly you and some things that looked like living mist. The other images... were rather confusing and I'm not quite sure what they were._

The man stiffened; his eyes narrowed. "Interesting. And now, most importantly of all." He stepped towards Glaurung, completely ignoring Saphira's warning growl. "What is your FanFiction PenName?"

Glaurung stared at him for a moment, but he'd seen this coming from the time of his awakening. _Commentaholic, _he said, getting past his initial shock, _I was Commentaholic._

* * *

><p><strong><em>Lithos<em>: We like long chapters. I thought my parts were a bit off, but if Comment gives his quality assurance, I'm happy.**

**_Commentaholic_: Apart from some misspellings (fixed now) and some italicizing issues, as well as... well... stuff, it wasn't bad.**

**_Lithos_: That last bit doesn't really inspire much confidence.**

**_Commentaholic_: Oh relax. It wasn't anything huge. It was good. It's a good chapter. I just didn't have much to do with it, which is not usually how I roll. I usually have a large part of the chapters I co-write, and as such, I get excited. But this was Soup's chapter, for the most part. And I'm a bit... I have misgivings about the last bit. That's all.**

**_Lithos_: I say again: not inspiring confidence. But what can I do? We'll just see what Soup has to say.**

**_Commentaholic_: . . . You take my words too seriously... I'm not an infallable force of nature. I'm not awesome, however people think I am. People seem to have an epic view of how good I am... I don't see it.**

**_SimplySupreme_: I told you I'd see you at the bottom! :D (Had to let them have their fun up there, arguing about quality.) This was pretty hard to write actually. You'd be surprised at how difficult it is to make sense. And now Cali is a giant lizard! *facepalm* Newbie mistake. *winks* But lizard powers will come in handy. You'll see. ¡Adios, amigos! :)**

_Please review! The review gods will shower awesome upon you if you do!_


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